College-educated Latter-day Saints attend church at significantly higher rates than those without degrees, according to new Pew Research Center data analyzed by The Salt Lake Tribune. The finding reverses patterns seen in many other American religious traditions, where higher education often correlates with decreased observance.

The Tribune's analysis of the Pew study found that educational attainment appears protective of LDS church activity rather than erosive. The data suggests that Latter-day Saint parents seeking to keep their children active in the faith should prioritize higher education rather than fear it.

The research provides quantitative support for what many LDS educators have argued: that the Church's emphasis on education and its robust presence on college campuses through institutes of religion may insulate members from the secularizing effects of university attendance documented in other traditions.